Updated Nov. 7, 2023. The Berardo Art Deco Museum, or BMAD, opened on April 23, 2021, making it Lisbon’s newest museum. Visiting the Berardo Art Deco Museum Collection is one of the best deals in town.
Berardo Art Deco Museum Collection
The Berardo Art deco collection is located in the early 18th-century palatial summer home of the Marquis de Abrantes, in the Alcântara neighborhood.
The building was later owned by Dr. António Flores (1883-1957). He was the director of the Julio de Matos Psychiatric Hospital (which today is the sight of a mile-long wall of murals – see my article on Lisbon street art).
The fantastic mansion was the perfect residence, until the construction of the 25 de Abril Bridge. During its early years the bridge was known as the Salazar Bridge, as the Carnation Revolution had not occurred yet. For more information on Lisbon’s Bridges, have a look at my A guide to Lisbon’s most famous bridges
Today, looking out of some of large the windows, visitors get a closeup view of one of the bridge’s pillars.
Mining tycoon Joe Berardo purchased the house in 2016 in order to share his collection of arts and crafts, Art Nouveau, and Art Deco pieces. The house was restored in a style that is consistent with the Belle Epoque and the Roaring Twenties that these treasures came from.
Today, the collection includes more than 300 pieces of furniture, glassware, ironwork, silverware, ceramics, and lamps. It is considered to be one of the best Art Deco and Art Nouveau collections in the world.
He assembled the collection over a period of more than thirty years.
Featured artists include:
- Jacques Émile Ruhlmann
- Alfred Portanueve
- Jean-Michel Frank
- Jacques Adnet
- René Lalique
- Jules Leleu
Berardo Art Deco Museum Hours
Open every day from 10 am until 7 pm. Last entry is at 5 pm.
Berardo Art Deco Museum Admission
Entry to the museum is 6€. Children under 12 are free. All visits are small-guided group tours in your language.
Tours start at 10:00, 11:00, 11:30, 2:30, 3:30, 4:30, and 5 pm. Only 15 visitors are allowed at each time slot.
It is important to contact the museum in advance to find out which time slots will offer tours in your language.
T: 351 212 198 071
E: lojabmad@bacalhoa.pt
At the end of your tour, the hosts treat you to a tasting of Bacalhoa wines, so you basically earn back your admission fee (for those over 18).
Where is the Berardo Art Deco Museum located?
Rua Primeiro de Maio 24
GPS coordinates: 38.70426023622846, -9.179119046418947
How to get to the Berardo Art Deco Museum?
Take bus 714 or 727 from Praça da Figueira or Cais do Sodré to Largo do Calvário. From Cais do Sodré, you can also take tram 15E or tram 18E to Largo do Calvário. The museum is a short walk from there.
What else is near the Berardo Art Deco Museum?
- LX Factory – Cool shops, art installations, and dining in Lisbon’s most hipster area. Is the LX Factory worth visiting?
- 25 of April Bridge A guide to Lisbon’s most famous bridges – lisbontravelideas.com
- Carris Museum – Stop in and see older models of Lisbon’s yellow trams. https://www.carris.pt/en/carris/carris-museum/
The official website of the Berardo Art Deco Museum is https://bmad.pt/
Thank you for taking the time to read about the Berardo Art Deco Museum. I am not affiliated with any of the businesses mentioned in this article.
